Fountain pen blotter



Aug. 6, 1935. DUNNING FOUNTAIN PEN BLOTTER Filed Dec. 26, 1954 INVENTO vll/ ' A'rronNEY Patented ug. 6, 1935 UNlTEDsTATEs PATsNToFFlcE FOUNTAIN PEN BLOTTER y Louis VDunning, Bloomington, Ill.

Application December 26, 1934, Serial No. 759,278

4 claims. (o1. 1z0- 26) .This invention relates to ablotter and has for the primary object the provision of'a device of this character which will provide `an. attachment to a fountain pen so that the user of the pen will have readily accessible a motten-whereby writing madeby the pen may be easily andqiuckly blotted, obviating the necessity of having to await drying of the ink or locking for a blotter which, in many instances, is. displaced or not 'convenient to nd. f Y

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to` lbe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

. reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a vertical sectional view illustrating a blotter in the iorm of an attachment applied toa fountain pen and constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View illustrating the attachment with the blotter element thereof positioned for operation.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 or Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an end elevation showing ting element in operative position.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view showing the the blotmeans of limiting the movement of the blotting element into either operative or inoperative position.

Figure 8 is a detail View partly in section showing the blotting element in inoperative position.

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the blotting element made in tubular formation.

Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a roll for the tubular blotter.

Figure ll is a perspective view illustrating a supporting shaft, while Figure 12` shows the supporting block.

Referring in detail to the drawing the numeral I indicates a conventional type of fountain pen including the usual removable cap 2 and to adapt my invention to the fountain pen the cap 2 has its end wall removed so as to receive a tubular extension 3 of the attachment. Theextension has frictional contact with the walls of thecontact and being of tubular shape permits the pen or writing point of the instrument to enter when the cap 2 is applied to' the barrel of the fountain pen. A body 4 is integral with the extension `3 and of ar diameter equal to the diameter offthe cap 2 and has a chamber 5 opening outwardly through its free end to permit the mounting therein of `5 a supporting block 5L The block G has frictional contact with the walls of the-chamber 5 and is provided with a groove 'I toirotatably receive a shaft 5. -The shaft 3, at one end, is providedwit'n a lug or projection 9 operating in the chamber 5. Y The shaft operating in the groove l of the supporting block-6 arrangesftheshaft -eccentrically of the longitudinal axis of the chamber 5. The shaft is capable of a limited rotation in either direction. The rotation in either direction is limited by the lug 9 contacting with walls of the chamber 5. The shaft 8 is provided with oppositely arranged notches lil and engaging in the notches is a spring-pressed plunger iI carried by the supporting block (i. The plunger I I, when in engagement with one notch, will maintain the shaft against accidental rotation in one direction and will permit the shaft to be rotated manually to bring the plunger in engagement with the other notch so that said plunger will hold the shaft against accidental rotation in its latternamed position.

The shaft adjacent to one end of the groove of the supporting block is oifset at right angles, as shown at i I', so that the portion I2 of the shaft, which forms a journal for a blotting element I3, is disposed in a plane laterally of. the portion of the shaft which operates in the groove The blotting element i3 being mounted for rotation on the journal portion I2 of the shaft may be positioned to either align with the body 4 or to be disposed laterally of the body 4, as shown in Figure 2, and when in the latter-named position itmay be readily brought into engagement with a writing specimen for the purpose of absorbing the ink.

The blotting element I3 consists of a tubular shell I4 of absorbent material and is removably mounted on a roller-like element I5, the latter being journaled upon the portion I2 of the shaft and retained thereon by a removable nut I6 having threaded engagement with the shaft. A groove I'i is formed in the element I5 and operating in the groove is a leaf spring I8, one end or" which is anchored, as shown at I9, while the opposite end is free to slide in the groove. Normally the leaf spring projects slightly out of the groove to contact the inner wall of. the shell It! to retain the shell on the member I5 against accidental displacement. 55

,A cover or cap 26 engages over the body i with frictional Contact and forms a closure for the blotting element when positioned in alignment with the body 4 or in an inoperative position.

The attachment when applied to an ordinary fountain pen does not materially alter the general appearance of the fountain pen except adding to its length and the attachment may be readily brought into use by simply removing the cap 20 and swinging the blotting element laterally of the body 4, as shown in Figure 2, and when in this position may readily be brought into contact with Writing matter for the purpose of absorbing ink.

It is desirable that the absorbent material of the shell l at one end be notched to receive an eX- tension at the other end of said material, as suggested by the illustration made in Figure 9, to prevent tearing or separation of the ends of the material when cemented or otherwise secured together during the use of the'device. Y Having described the invention, I claim:

1. fA blotter comprising a body having a chamber, a shaft eccentrically journaled in the chamber and having an ois-et journal portion, means for limiting the rotation of the shaft in either direction, and a blotter element mounted on the journal portion and adapted to be positioned laterally of said body portion or in alignment therewith, and means for retaining the shaft against accidental rotation when said blotter element is in either of its positions.

2. A blotter comprising a body,.a shaft eccentrically journaled to said body and having an offset journal portion, a roller rotatably mounted on the journal portion, a shell of absorbent material removably mounted on said roller, means for limiting the rotation of the shaft in either direction to permit positioning of the shell laterally 'of the body or in alignment therewith.

3. A blotter comprising a body, a shaft eccentrically journaled to said body and having an offset journal portion, a roller rotatably mounted on the journal portion, a shell of absorbent material removably mounted on said roller, means for limiting the rotation of the shaft in either direction to permit positioning of the shell laterally of the body or in alignment therewith, means to engage said shaft for holding the latter against accidental rotation in either of the positions of said shell.

4. A blotter comprising a body, a shaft eccentrically journaled to said body and having an oiset journal portion, a roller rotatably mounted on the journal portion, a shell of absorbent material removably mounted on said roller, means for limiting the rotation of the shaft in either direction to permit positioning of the shell laterally of the body or in alignment therewith, means to engage said shaft for holding the latter against accidental rotation in either of the positions of said shell, and spring means carried by the roller to engage the shell to prevent accidental removal of the shell from the roller.

LOUIS DUNNILG. 

